The Ing
by S. A. Morley
Summary: Everyone knows of Aether's splitting and how it was resolved... But only from one side of the story. Join the Ing, they are calling! THIS STORY IS MOST LIKELY DISCONTINUED.
1. Born of the Meteor

**This is a 'write-off' I accepted from Shadow Knight Zanjian. We are going to see which of us can create a Metroid story from scratch, and who's will get the most reviews in the end. May the best writer win!**

They are the Ing.

A race of terrifying creatures that are only focused on one thing: conquer. They joy in the sight of death and blood. They feast upon the corpses of their hapless victims. They know nothing of sympathy and kindness. All they are taught to do is kill and infest. Desire for the top act in a matter, the Ing will stop at nothing to achieve their twisted goals.

These monsters were nearly eight feet tall, with sleek black bodies. Their strong legs were formed into five piercing limbs that could tear something apart with a single swipe. Long, ebony spines on their heads flowed in the tainted wind, and their single, large, menacingly red eyes cast horror into anyone who had the time enough to stare. Daunting, skilled, and deadly, the Ing were sculpted by the Meteor perfectly to murder.

The Meteor... How did these ruthless beasts come to be? They were born from the apocalyptic explosion that the Meteor caused. The destruction was so massive, it split the planet's time and space continuum into separate dimensions.

The acres of Aether's twin, _Dark Aether,_ was their cradle, and they were nourished by the suffering that its existence caused. They grew and thrived within their poisoned half of the planet, locking themselves in the head section of the food chain and ecosystem. None could beat the might of the Ing horde. Inhabiting animals were slain and promptly eaten.

Suddenly new beings entered their world, ones the Ing hadn't encountered before. The intruders were towering, with expressions of fear and curiosity. They were feathered on their heads, with colored markings over their thin and lightly armored bodies. Surely these things were from the sistering dimension? And surely they were as fragile as their figures appeared...

Immediate and fierce attack resulted in bloodshed from both sides. The Ing's blood was deep purple and acidic, while the enemy's blood was golden and radiant. The light ichor had enough power to miraculously burn the hide of any Ing who touched it, and vice versa.

The trespassers retreated to their world through a glowing yellow rift, and disappeared for a Lunarcycle.

It was then that the carnage continued when they returned...but heavily from the Ing. The light interlopers had set up poles with white gems attached to the top, and bubbles of cleanse were polluting Dark Aether. No matter how hard the Ing tried, they could not rid their grounds of these burning terrors the invaders had dubbed, "Light Crystals."

These searing diamonds would burn a careless Ing that happened to dash into one. First, they would breathe in the free air. Second, they would freeze in their tracks. Third, they could not move until they became ice cold. And then, the light would devour away the Ing's body from the inside out, the creature still conscious and feeling the entire process.

Smoldering heaps of Ing carcasses became countless as the months raged by of battle and turmoil. The adversaries were appearing to be winning the war between Aether's children.

Then the Ing fought back with their own sick abilities.

_Possession._

And that is where I come in.


	2. The Luminoth's Invention

**Now introducing: Lots of original characters! **

I am a Warrior Ing. Proudly given that title a few months ago by our leader himself, The Emperor Ing. He had specifically told me that I was to be a Head of the Torvus cult, and I have been doing so since expertly. I would never stray from his orders, and will always obey his each and every command.

My tribe name is Tague, but the Luminoth have officially named me Demon; based on my reputation of slaughtering almost all of the Luminoth I encountered. Just yesterday I had cornered a group of full grown adults who were trespassing in Dark Aether territory, and with my platoon, destroyed them all and ate them for dinner. Luminoth meat is delicious. We savored our three kills and shared with none but ourselves.

I was pacing around the filthy pools of Dark Torvus Bog, pondering hard. My comrades in the group were standing watch to make sure nobody came by that we didn't notice. P'tuk, to my left, Arlote at my right, and Mej behind me. None of us said anything, we were too engrossed in our duties.

P'tuk was my most loyal friend, who was also foot taller than me. He wasn't as powerful as I was, but P'tuk had high endurance and a headstrong attitude that made him impossible to replace.

Arlote was the shortest of our group, and often the most of a coward. What he lacked in bravery, he made up for in intelligence and obedience. He would do anything I asked him to, even if it was ludicrous and nigh impractical.

Mej was the outcast. He basically only made it onto my team because he was a hard enough worker to pass our Warrior's tests. He had been abandoned by his other cult, seeing as he had possessed the winning keystone of a renowned Aetherian battle and lost it all completely. Mej was a failure, a fool, and a bit of a moron. But, since I believe in seeing good in other losses, I accepted him for my squadron.

Anyway, I was thinking of the defeat in Agon. How could we, the Ing horde be overtaken by the Luminoth and their defense of glowing Beacons and Crystals? We should have known that stepping into their traps would result in pain and fire. I couldn't comprehend how incompetent some troops were.

At least I wasn't.

"P'tuk!" I caught his attention by shouting.

"Tague, sir?" he replied, gazing at me, though remaining planted to his perch.

"Any sight of the Luminoth?" I demanded an answer with my stare.

"No, sir. Just some wandering Grenchlers and a few tipping Blade Pods," he reassured, turning back and scanning the Bog for any signs of unwelcome movement.

"Arlote?"

"Negative," he responded swiftly. I could tell I intimidated him.

"Mej?" Hopefully _he _would have something.

"Nothing, Tague." I exhaled heavily after he finished, stabbing at a Chykka egg submerged in the sludgy dirt. Ooze secreted from the gash I had created, and a writhing worm of an extremely early Chykka infant came spilling out. The thing screeched in displease, squirming and slitting its light blue eyes that were blind and undeveloped.

Strangely angry, I stabbed it through the middle and flung it off into the water. Before it landed, a large Alpha Blogg leapt from the gray surface and snatched the Chykka into his mouth, disappearing as quickly as he came. There was no splash. I smirked and dug more through the grime in search of other eggs that may have been buried somewhere.

"Tague! Tague!" P'tuk hollered suddenly, and my heart fluttered at the sound. "A portal is opening up!"

I darted over, along with Mej and Arlote. "Where? Ahh, there they come..." I hissed in delight, watching the twisted golden sphere flash. Soon a pair of Luminoth emerged, one clutching a Light Crystal with a pole in his three fingered hands, and the other clanking behind him.

_Clanking?_

Luminoth didn't clank.

I looked closer at them, seeing the Luminoth to be decorated in some sort of deeply tinted suit. It was dark brown in color, shiny, and appeared to be weightless. There was a mechanical area for their wings to fit through, including a jet propeller on the back. It also contained a helmet, with an illuminating orange visor that cut through Dark Aether's blackness with ease. A small energy beam gun was resting above the wrist on the Luminoth's left arm, which was gleaming brightly white.

The four of us cringed back from the light, scooting away and hiding ourselves from their view. "What is that creature wearing?" I wondered to my comrades, ducking low with them.

"It seems to be some sort of suit of armor..." Arlote muttered, peering over the glen we crouched behind. "But what is its purpose...?"

The pair of Luminoth walked into the Bog cautiously, heads turning in all directions around them safely. The one carrying the Light Crystal was creeping exceptionally near his friend in the suit.

The armored Luminoth stopped after a few minutes of us spying on him, looking down to his partner. "I must ask you to stay for a moment, L-Kot. If you please..." he said calmly. All of the male Aetherians had deep voices that resonated with knowledge and consideration of each word.

"But U-Mos... your wife... she will be wondering where you are at this hour... What if it does not work? Can we do this later-" he stuttered, shaking violently as U-Mos moved away from him.

"I am sure A-Ual will be fine, our child is not due for another month, L-Kot. Please, stand aside so I may test this invention," U-Mos ordered more sternly, holding his hand out so L-Kot would give him space.

The fearful Luminoth nodded, stepping a few paces away and trembling. "Hurry up, you remember the last thing that happened with the Ing, do you not?"

U-Mos nodded, and I heard a soft groan. "I would never forget, L-Kot..." he trailed off as he approached the line of the Light Crystal's protective circle.

We all watched intently as U-Mos reached forward with his armored fingers. They didn't twitch at all, but were straight and fearless. I almost shrieked with surprise when he left the Crystal's safe-guard, the tips of his three fingers out in Dark Aether's atmosphere. The glove he was wearing was erupting with purple and red bubbles, but he seemed to be taking no damage.

As if in shock, he continued his steady walk out of the Crystal's light shield. His arm, then his shoulder, chest, legs, and finally his head. He stood on Dark Torvus's wet soil, unscathed and smiling beneath his vermillion visor. "This is spectacular L-Kot! It works!"

His comrade nodded swiftly. "Good! And by the Light of Aether, can we leave now? This place is haunted ground, U-Mos! The Ing could be spying on us as we speak!"

"Are we that obvious?" Mej mumbled, turning towards me and wondering. Arlote rolled his eye and sighed to himself.

I shook my head. Mej must have gotten his skull cracked one too many times. "No, he said _could _not _are, _oaf." I spat, glowering at his stupidity.

He understood after a few moments of my insult going through his brain. "Oh... Right..." He turned back to the Luminoth pair down the narrow valley.

P'tuk suddenly sunk to the ground, the spines on his head rising. He made a soughing sound dangerously. "What is it, P'tuk?" I asked warily, eying him closely.

He tightened the muscles in his backward facing legs. "Preparation..." he whispered, voice scratchy and hoarse. "For our meal..."

I flipped my gaze back to the Luminoth. "Clearly L-Kot is weak and vulnerable? But," I glared at the Light Crystal. "we cannot reach him with that Crystal in place... What do you suggest we do, Arlote?"

He ran through our options within his mind, muttering them to himself lowly and quickly. After listening and thinking over the plan ourselves, Arlote decided. "We must distract L-Kot and U-Mos, then when the time is right, the swiftest of us will take the Crystal and dispose of it. The Luminoth will be exposed to the air and helpless." His face snapped towards me. "Easy pickings, Tague."

"Good, but what about the armored one? He can survive within the hostility of the atmosphere, can't he? What do we do with him?" I wanted no flaws in this hunt whatsoever.

Arlote returned to his rapid pondering. "Seeing as his suit emits those poisoned spheres, it is likely that he is becoming injured gradually. Even if he does manage to sustain himself, he will succumb to the toxicity and will fall. Although, if we do not block the Aether portal, we will lose them both unmistakably if they attempt to flee."

I smirked. "Let's do it. _P'tuk_, you guard the portal with everything you have. _Mej_, you are quickest and will retrieve the Light Crystal and throw it into the Bog. _Arlote_, help me with the Luminoth," they each nodded once their orders were given, ready to feast upon these quarry.

I stared at the free morsels upon the Bog's silt. "Let's go, Warriors."

With a screech of war, the four of us charged down the hillside, traveling the ground as lightly as we could. We were nearly soaring, and the heads of U-Mos and L-Kot snapped to our direction.

They both turned towards the portal, but after I shrieked a second time, P'tuk leapt off the gully and streaked across the dark sky. He landed with a thump in front of the Luminoth's only way of escape, his claws barely evading the Crystal's energy field. He roared and stooped, staring at them ominously to show he would not budge.

Arlote, Mej, and I skidded to a dirt flinging stop at their level, standing and freezing in our minatory postures. We were a few feet taller than than the two Luminoth, and it seemed that they had reached the end of the line.

Mej shot forward immediately, snatching the Light Beacon from L-Kot's shaky grasp and rolling himself into a ball around the pole. The duo panicked once he unraveled and threw the blasted thing into the tainted, swampy water. There was a muted explosion from the depths of the pool, and the white light faded into the darkness. My fellow Ing emerged with only slight burns across his legs and torso.

We each bowed and watched the Luminoth as P'tuk had did, growling low in our throats. My squadron and I were symbolizing that they were intruders, and that we were dominant. Our postures were flaring that. The Aetherians understood, and scooted close to each other briskly, making sure it didn't seem like a sudden movement.

L-Kot was starting to shudder, his body searing red and his skin secreting acid bubbles. He was leaning heavily against U-Mos, who's suit had begun to work and was protecting him from the harsh oxygen. L-Kot's mouth began to drip with his golden blood when his eyes did, and he almost instantly sunk to his knees.

Our quartet moved in, not containing ourselves from drooling. U-Mos's gaze flickered from my eye, down to the furry, scarlet back of L-Kot. _Come on, U-Mos... Make your move..._ I jeered inside his mind....

Luminoth were exceptionally telepathic creatures, and could receive thoughts from the other beings around them if they allowed. Seeing as Dark Aether had been made from Aether, and our world's creatures were made from their world's creatures, it was logical that the Luminoth and the Ing would be similar.

U-Mos went stiff after I spoke to him, and gazed at me. "You want me to react?" he said rigidly, clenching his fists.

All but me continued advancing on him as L-Kot spat up blood on the dirt floor. _"Then I will!" _U-Mos shouted, raising his left arm at us head on.

The other two jerked into the light, with Arlote falling back and bellowing in agony. The remaining troop, Mej, landed on top of U-Mos in a crumpled heap, legs and arms flailing as he tried to grab him securely.

_"Be gone, Ing!" _he cried, firing another blast of the light cannon. Mej was blown backward, crashing into me roughly. I thought I felt something fracture.

"Augh! Get off me, he's getting away!" I screamed, twisting under the weight of my comrade.

I looked after U-Mos, who was making a slow dash for the portal, whilst dragging L-Kot by the knees. He was grunting, his struggle caused by the splits that had been rendered on his suit. Beneath the armor, his skin had flushed deep red and gushing with the bubbles of Dark Aether's atmosphere.

Mej seemed to be in a daze, and wouldn't release me from his weight. He moaned and stirred. "P'tuk! Stop him!" I howled from the ground, trying my best to violently shove the rookie from me.

P'tuk was ready for U-Mos, and imbedded his claws deep into the ground. He once again focused his gaze on the Luminoth pair, hissing. He looked like a steadfast wall of stubborn pride.

"Move, Ing," U-Mos ordered breathlessly, his right leg buckling due to the air that was wounding him. "Or I shall go do it for you myself."

P'tuk stayed where he was, only the thick black tendons on his head twisting at all. He grumbled ferociously and glared.

U-Mos nodded. "Very well then," He lifted his left arm and shot an enormous ball of light at my friend, who endured it, miraculously. The brightness was so intense that I curled my legs and my spines, yowling in pain. The others in my team flinched against it as well. It wasn't until I heard P'tuk's chilling wail did I open my eye and watch him be catapulted through the portal before U-Mos stepped in after him.

Realizing what was going on, I thrashed and clawed at Mej, who finally gave way and rolled off my body. I quickly jumped to my feet, speeding over to the portal and reaching towards it.

But I was too late.

It closed within a split second, and my talon found nothing but stone wall. Sparks shot off from my scraping, the only sound in the desolate, quiet place. It became dark again, the light vanishing.

I slumped onto the ground and was nearly paralyzed. He had gone through the portal to Light Aether, leaving us behind. U-Mos had proceeded next, along with L-Kot. Where would he go? What would he do? Ing couldn't survive within the light.

Unable to withstand my shocked fear for my best friend, I cried, _"P'TUK!" _

His answer never came.


	3. Emperor's Summons

**So how is this going? Thanks for all the reviews, it means a lot (literally).**

There I sat on the dirt, gazing miserably at the empty portal to Light Aether. The others were getting up, groaning.

"Tague? What happened? Where's-" Mej began thickly.

I snapped back to him and gazed into his blank sapphire eye. "He got taken! He's in the Light world, now!" I couldn't stop myself from shouting at him.

He and Arlote flinched. "What?" they both panicked.

I quickly stood, stomping over to them and spitting in their faces, "While you were both cowering on the ground, that Luminoth scum blasted him into his dimension!" They recoiled and watched me with feared gazes. I could be evil when I wanted to be. "I couldn't get to him in time because _your _carcass wouldn't allow me!" I shot that insult directly at Mej, who's multiple antennae (including the stubbed ones) drooped down to his skull.

"W-we're sorry, Tague-" Arlote started, but I intervened his sentence as well.

"You should be! P'tuk was twice the warrior-" Arlote and Mej's faces blurred, and Dark Torvus bog lurched. I cut off myself, feeling suddenly dizzy and faint. "-ugh..." I murmured, toppling over and crashing to the ground.

"Tague!" I heard my comrades cry, dashing towards me. They were distorted blobs of black, their eyes large and disproportional to their already messed up bodies. I felt a claw on my front left shoulder, shaking me in worry. "Are you all right?"

I closed my eye for a split second, a fleeting experience sweeping my veins. _Come to me... _There was a brisk flash of purple.I twitched, finding myself spinning and eventually landing back inside my own body at the Dark Torvus Bog; from being previously whisked away to the Sky Temple.

I gasped and abruptly sat up, choking. "_'Mperor," _I half gagged.

"Pardon?" Arlote said to me, his figure sharpening till I could recognize him by the unique, gray markings that tattooed his legs and torso. Battle scars.

Mej was behind him, watching me with utmost curiosity and ponder. His blue tinted eye was flickering around my face, and the black blood vessels that protruded from his hide were pulsing with left over adrenaline.

"The Emperor, he wants us to come to him," I said, catching my breath and trying to calm myself down. When the Emperor contacts one through his mind, it is difficult to regain normal control over his anatomy. "He wishes to speak with us."

Arlote and Mej exchanged puzzled glances. "Are you sure we should leave P'tuk's disappearance unattended?" the scarred one asked.

I nodded. "Based on how powerful Emperor's request was, it's urgent. Help me up, you two." I commanded, they reaching below me and pulling me to my feet. I grunted once upright, steadying my wobbling legs and swimming head. "Just give me a second..." I recuperated as fast as I allowed myself. "Okay, let's go."

A little hesitantly, Arlote and Mej followed behind me as I ran. We needed to find a Hunter Ing, who would be able to transport us to where the Emperor resided quickly. If my statistics were correct, then a Warrior would be patrolling the next few acres of the Bog with their platoon.

"Which Warrior are we consulting, Tague?" Arlote asked, sprinting alongside me.

I sighed, thinking of the little options that we were allowed within Torvus. "I'm hoping we can find Delain. She's the least nasty."

"But she's a female!"

I glared at Arlote out of the corner of my eye. "If you are prejudice against female Hunters then you have a serious problem. They are no different from male Hunters in all abilities. Do you regret Kella becoming a Warrior? Milak? Nori?" I named a few other female Hunters, giving him a stern gaze of expectancy. He said nothing. "Good." I snorted, and continued on with my company quiet.

Eventually, after speeding past the poisonous flora and the grumpy fauna, we arrived at the Dark Forgotten Bridge. There, we spotted the six strong group of Ing. Five were Lesser Warriors, placed at regular areas around the structure and surveying dutifully. In the very center of the bridge was Delain, the confident leader of this clan.

She was a particular Head that was all business. She had been named, "Seeker," by the Luminoth because of her phenomenal tracking abilities. She could find anything, anywhere, anytime. Delain was tall, with wavy antennae and blood hued pupils that collided with the bright vermillion of her irises. She was the perfect shade of black, with no impurities except for a jagged scar over her only way of seeing. She had almost gone blind when a sharp Light Crystal had slashed across her eyelid. Delain came out of that battle almost unscathed.

Arlote and Mej held back, standing on the edge of the overpass and kneeling before Delain. I approached her, bowing as well and waiting for her to acknowledge my presence. She did, turning to me and smiling.

"Tague. I haven't seen you in a little while," her voice was smooth and cunning. Most men respected her. Well, except for Arlote, but he was just anti-women. "You still commanding your battalion?"

I nodded. "Yes."

She smiled. "Congratulations for keeping your title, thus far. Well, what did you need? Or is this just a social visit? If so, I haven't got the time."

I swallowed. "P'tuk's been pulled into Light Aether-"

"Really? How long ago did this happen?" her eye was large with shock.

"A few minutes," I replied, sinking low. "Anyway, after that, Emperor beckoned me to come to him. I need you to transport me to the Sky Temple, Delain."

She gave this some thought. "Can't you do it yourself?"

I sighed. "No. Only Head's can do it, but we cannot perform it on ourselves or our group members. I am asking you to do it for us, since that is impossible to do it. Did you forget?"

She shook her head from side to side swiftly. "Yes! I got into another fight and hit my head pretty hard." Delain focused on me, then looked back to Arlote and Mej. "They are coming as well?"

"Yes. Please! Judging by how weak I was after receiving the commands, it is dire I speak with him immediately. Are you going to do it or not?"

Delain nodded once, curtly. "Line up," she stood back and readied herself.

I gathered Arlote and Mej, standing our trio into a bunch and waiting for Delain to transit us. "Ready?" she asked, and we tensed.

Without another word, she cast her sight at us, and her eye lit up chalky white. A beam of energy shot out, and Arlote, Mej, and I were lifted away from the Dark Forgotten Bridge and towards our next destination: The Sky Temple.


	4. Orders from the Emperor

**I hope you all like this, because it's going to keep going! Hope you're not bored with it, and reviews would be very much appreciated. Thanks! :D**

Arlote, Mej, and I landed with a thump in the Sky Temple Gateway. The violet clouds swirled above us with great gales that whipped our antennae around. Blue, glowing slime was dripping from a few walls. I ignored whatever it was and raised my eye to gaze at the majestic building that was before us.

The Sky Temple was an intimidating structure made of slabs of black stone. Held together by large strains of Ing Worms, and decorated with lifeless Luminoth bodies, it looked impregnable. Some Ing theories are that the Sky Temple is the reverse opposite of the Great Temple in the sistering dimension. Even the layout was flipped. I agreed with the speculations, seeing as we haven't gotten to any of the Temples on the other side, yet.

I got to my feet and ordered Arlote and Mej up. They quickly obliged, struggling with their intwined limbs to get upright first. There were a lot of, "Get off's!" and "Move's!" I rolled my eye. Without waiting for them, I proceeded to walk along the Gateway's floor and through the door, my comrade's footsteps tromping after me.

The three of us walked past tentacles that wiggled out of the walls, more patches of the blue sludge, and abandoned Light Beacons. We made sure to steer clear of the Beacons, so as to not be singed and wounded.

My platoon left the Shrine Access through another passage, clambering through the door and into the Defiled Shrine. There, dozens of Luminoth crates were stacked upon each other, and more Light Beacons littered the misshapen room.

"Tague!"

I and the others jerked to a Hunter Ing that had materialized in the Defiled Shrine. I recognized the top two missing appendages and the green and blue sparkling center. This significant Hunter was known as Iot. She floated over and down to us, then greeted, while Arlote scowled and turned away.

"The Torvus clan is here? On what business might I ask?" Iot wondered in her enthusiastic/sadistic voice.

I offered her a smile. "The Emperor has asked for us. What are _you _doing here, Iot? Where are the rest of your company?"

She saddened. "A certain accident has stripped mefrom them..." The balled tips of her missing tendons shuddered.

"You mean you were banished from your troop?" Arlote chuckled, watching Iot darkly as he came back around. "Typical of you, sister."

Her core flushed red. "What's that supposed to mean?" Her remaining tendrils quivered dangerously while they rattled hisses.

Arlote snorted. "It means that you are a good for nothing dolt that doesn't know how to perform her duties correctly!" His sneer made Iot freeze, but her angered gaze was boring into his twofold.

"I was always the better looking one, you know." She posed for us, gleaming boastfully. "At least _I'm_ not covered in scars, you ugly Ing!"

_"Two of your arms are off!"_ Arlote shouted, digging his claws into the ground. _"How does that make you more attractive?"_

"Because I was the favorite! _AND _I was promoted first, brother!" Iot screeched back, curling her tentacles.

_"Aauuugggghh!" _Arlote dove on top of her after he screamed. They both proceeded to snap sibling rivalry insults at each other and to attack as they rolled around the floor. _"Obtrusive little runt!"_

_ "Jealous loser!"_

_ "Father's girl!"_

_ "Impatient jerk!"_

_ "Complaining, ignorant child!"_

Their verbal and physical assaults went on for a few minutes. Mej and I thought it was hilarious so we simply watched as the brother and sister beat one another up. Arlote had been tearing at his sister's hide with a snarl on his piqued face, and Iot had been whipping her brother's body with nasty cracks of her duet tendrils.

Blood soon became an issue, as they were both coated in the others plasma. Arlote and Iot had become a tumbling mass of deep purple, only lengthened by their limbs. It was difficult to see which was which, considering that they were both enveloped in battle and wouldn't hinder their hits. I listened to their grunts as a means of deciphering who was who.

I looked at Mej as the duel raged on. "Should we split them up?"

He was stifling his giggling. "If you want to, sir."

I sighed and laughed to myself, bending down and sticking my claw into the first placed I laid my eye on.

_"OUCH!" _Arlote bellowed, his leg shooting skyward as I accidentally had stabbed his jugular. I seized his foot and pried him from Iot's clutches, throwing him a few meters away onto the ground in a twitching, dripping heap.

"All right, juveniles, we can't be fighting on sacred grounds." I said simply, smirking at the siblings. "The Emperor is waiting for us, Arlote, and _you_ are unpresentable."

He sat up and shot me a filthy glare. "I suggest we go now, taking into account that it is so pressing," his tone was bitter as he stood and shook off his ichor covered body.

I frowned. "Let's. Come, Mej, Arlote," I turned from Iot, who was hovering above our heads and blackly looking at us. The two in my force followed as I leapt up the Luminoth repositories, scaling the height to the balcony above. I crossed the landing and went through another door, walking through the security-lacking Shrine's Access.

"So... Arlote..." Mej murmured as we traveled into a passage that lead to a large room. "Is _she _the reason you despise females?"

Arlote tramped along, his stare heavily irate. "Iot didn't deserve to be mutated into a Hunter, while I'm her twin and far better in skill."

"You've been sexist for years because of that?" I asked, smiling and watching him in criticism. "Pretty stupid reason-"

"Shut up, Tague." I chuckled after he silenced me.

We strolled swiftly past a half pipe, going through another door and finally, into the Emperor's chamber.

It was dark once we entered, and our leader was nowhere to be found. Yet more of the blue, flashing substance was lining the circular walls, and the purple sky overhead shone in the splintered, ebony windows. The spacious room was quiet, but for the howls of the wind. A dormant portal to Light Aether sat in a corner.

Arlote, Mej, and I came inside, looking for any sign of the Emperor. Once the two realized that they weren't the ones that were to be addressed to, they shrieked in alarm and buried their faces into the floor, bowing low. I continued to search for him.

Something dark slithered over my foot, and I jumped back.

_"Ah, Tague..."_ I shivered once the cold, alluring voice punctured the air of the Emperor's chamber. _"I've been expecting you..." _

Halting on the spot, I watched his tall body form from the black puddle he had been slithering about in previously, and then... the Emperor transformed into his usual, terrifying state.

Emperor's body was nearly one hundred feet tall, jet black, and powerful. His four, destructive tentacles were lain on the ground in welcome, and his large, golden eye seemed kind, yet, he was extremely dangerous beneath them. His eye was in the center of his circular, charcoaled head, his gaze unwavering and unblinking. I felt another shiver come over me.

"Emperor..." I muttered, kneeling and honoring his greatness. "You wished to see me?"

_"Yes. After P'tuk was taken to Light Aether, I gazed into the sistering world. I now have news regarding P'tuk and his whereabouts."_

I immediately perked up. "You do?"

_"As I have said. He is indeed alive-" _I celebrated with a large grin and happiness welling up inside me. Thank the Ing for this.

_"-but only just."_

I snapped upward and stared at him. "What does that mean? Is he-"

_"P'tuk is fine, Tague. Only not as benign as he should be. You see, being within light is fatal to Dark Aetherians if they are exposed too long. Or, in P'tuk's case, too intensely. He is withering away, but being nourished as the long seconds tick by..." _I didn't like the way Emperor trailed off. It made me uneasy.

"Can we retrieve him?" I asked in despair.

His eye found me. _"Yes. But you must follow in his footsteps."_

"How?"

A smile spread across his face, one that gave me chills. _"P'tuk is the first."_

"I don't understand, Ruler." By how uncomfortable Arlote and Mej had become behind me, they didn't get what he was talking about either.

_"The first to possess a living, breathing, light being."_

Everyone went rigid. "He has... _possessed?" _I said in exasperation. "Someone not of this world?"

_"It was simple, for him. And it will be, I trust... for you as well." _Emperor gave me another freezing smile. _"You are my best Warrior after all, Tague."_

I straightened up as tall as I could. "Y-yes! I'll do whatever you say, Emperor!"

_"Good. Now, down to business..._

_ "You three must travel to Light Aether through the portal, find some means of protecting yourselves through the possession of a being, find P'tuk, and take him back. We will discuss the matter when you are finished. Do you see?"_ His gaze was demanding.

I nodded, and Arlote and Mej came to my side with eager faces. "When should we depart?"

_"Now." _

We obeyed, dashing around him and to the portal's opening. Emperor activated it with a simple swish of one of his tentacles, and Mej began to step through it. Arlote came after him.

I was about to join as well, when Emperor caught my attention. _"Tague." _I turned and watched him, waiting for what he was going to tell me. _"Do not fail me," _his voice was raw, solemn, and sinister. _"Or you will never see Dark Aether again."_

I quickly nodded again. "Yes, sir."

I went through the portal.


	5. Aether

**Well I won the write-off, but since this story is a hit, I'll continue. Enjoy! Reviews are **_**still **_**appreciated!**

I emerged from the other end with my eyesight screaming at the brightness, and my skin screaming from the pain the light brought. Aether was an endless curtain of gold; blinding, searing, possibly murderous.

I cried out and stumbled to my feet, crookedly speeding off in a random direction. Tears were streaming from my eye and dripping down my charring hide, boiling in the glares of the sun on Aether.

I didn't know where I was going. I didn't know where in Aether I was. I didn't know anything it seemed, when the ground disappeared beneath me, and I was sent plunging at rapid pace.

I began to scream from my own mouth, flailing my legs because there was nothing else I could do. A sharp ringing sound was stabbing at my ears, and I felt like I was slowly catching on fire. _Where am I going? _I asked my chaotic mind once more, trying to figure out my bearings and to understand what I had agreed to do.

Finally I stopped abruptly on something cold and hard. I heard a crack in my middle limb, and then more pain shot through my body. "Ack!" I choked out of my burning lungs, writhing on the ground. "Oh, that... hurts..."

I lay still as chillness waved over me, and peace settled in. Suddenly alarmed by this strange occurrence, I flopped onto my stomach and pressed my face onto the surface of whatever I was lying on. Slowly, ever so slowly, my eye unbelievably adjusted to the light, and I could see.

Lifting my throbbing head, I looked around at where I was. High, elegant metal walls, skies blue and radiant, friendly atmosphere, breeze cool and relaxing... _This _was the sinister Light Aether I had heard stories about? I didn't believe it.

I continued my screening of the place, the architecture seemed familiar... Then a thought popped into existence within my head. _Since the Sky Temple is the opposite of the Great Temple..._ I shuddered and felt cold again, blinking against the harsh sunlight that filled Aether. I was in holy Luminoth grounds? And still _living?_

I struggled to my feet, standing on four legs instead of five. My fore middle limb had most likely been snapped inside, and was sharply tingling endlessly. I fought against crying in pain, for that would be disastrous. Finding an Ing whimpering and helpless within the Great Temple. Easy kill for the Luminoth.

I looked above me. I had fallen from a high crest about forty feet up. That would explain the agony in my foot... I had also been feeling cooled since I was lingering in the shade the overhang brought.

How had I gotten up there? Then I remembered the portal I had left Dark Aether through, which was probably overhead the huge distance. I sighed, also remembering what I had been assigned to do.

I forced my working legs to carry me forward, while dragging my broken one. It was a miracle that the ground was smooth, or else that would have been terrifically painful. I was grunting with each step, perspiring and holding back more tears. I had never been this... weak. It was embarrassing.

I scuttled further into the Great Temple, clinging to walls that provided shadows. It was apparent that I couldn't thrive in the light without being singed, but the dimness was safe enough to sustain my anti-light body. It seemed fair, after all. The Luminoth needed their own artificial light to live through my darkness.

It disturbed me that nobody was around. Were the Temples always this deserted? I didn't like the silence that hung within the building. It was almost unnatural. The occasional whisper of wind, or a purring sound from some machine nearby were the only sources of sound in the Great Temple. Those, and the clicks of my claws on the floor.

I observed also, that I almost blended into the shadows I was strolling through. Maybe I would be nearly invisible to any passers by? If anyone was here... "Hmm..." I mumbled to myself, finding that I didn't know where my other comrades were. Where had Arlote and Mej ended up? I was a little scared to find out.

I stopped, glancing down at a streak of light in my blackened path. Just beyond it was another flood of shadows. I stuck one of my talons out, but froze dead when I heard some rustling around the bend. I slunk back behind my wall and listened for another sound.

It was a light gritty noise, like something soft brushing against something rough. I thought about it. What would make that specific sound? Then to that mystery resonation came blithe humming.

I slowly peeked around the corner, eye widening at what I saw.

Meters away was a Luminoth Energy Controller; large, blobulous, mechanical, and shooting up beams of golden light into a Transfer Beacon. The Beacon expelled the light from the Energy Controller into three opposing directions, which disappeared beyond my view entirely. Sitting beneath the Controller was a young Luminoth boy.

He was about a third my size, with a thin, lanky body that was tinted golden brown. Streaks on his figure were deep blue, and his double feathers on the crown of his head were twitching in content. His dark sapphire eyes were focused intently on a sketchbook in one of his hands, the other hand's fingers wrapped around a writing utensil that flew across the page he was obviously sketching in. His elbows were propped upon his knees, supporting the book, and his toe toes on either one of his feet were tapping to the whirring of the Controller he was under. From his mouth came the droning, and from the writing utensil was the feeble scratching sound.

I hid behind my wall again, breathing quickly for some reason. My stomach was churning sickly, and my legs were shaking as I made an effort to support myself up.

_Take the child... Take the child... _were the thoughts echoing through my discombobulated mind. I had to do something. This was my only chance to fulfill what Emperor had assigned me to do. With a deep breath, I gathered my courage as quickly as I could.

I looked back to the Luminoth youth. He had set down his drawing instrument next to him, his pair of wings fluttering with the breeze that blew by gently. He began to flip through the pages of his sketchpad.

I clutched the wall direly, focusing on how I would take him unawares. _Do it fast... Do it fast..._ I smiled nervously as I shifted, and focused the strength in my functioning legs, ready to pounce.

Suddenly his head snapped up as I came into view. The boy's cobalt eyes grew large and he swiftly got to his feet, holding the book with astonishment. I watched his gaze flicker down to the sheet he was open to, then as I moved a single bit, he stared at me again. Almost unnoticeably, the Luminoth boy's foot slid across the floor.

I hissed and approached, still staying within the shadows. I could feel the burning that the light emanated only from inches away from it, being cautious and not touching the beam. The kid went rigid once I did, and gripped his book tighter.

Abruptly, the boy rocketed away from me, practically gliding across the floor at shocking speed. I growled and sped after him, shielding myself from the sun with the shade. I heard the Luminoth's panicked breathing and soft footfalls as he darted in front of me.

I chased him through halls in the Great Temple that curved and twisted. He made sure to keep a good distance away, his pace breakneck as he frantically tried to evade me. I lifted my injured leg (with some difficulty) away from my other legs, speeding up and gaining on him. He pushed himself harder.

He skidded to a stop at an intersection, glancing back at me with a determined, yet paler, face. I reached with a revved claw at him, but missed as he ducked and dashed away from me. Biting back hollering a Dark Aetherian curse, I halted my running with a grinding screech, and went after him once more, his figure small in my line of sight.

_I've got to do this... Must... obey... Emperor... Or... might never... see... home again... _Those thoughts kept me motivated, and once I bolted faster than ever, I caught up to the boy again. He was leading me backward. He looked to me with horrified eyes, trying to elude me. His stamina was waning. He was getting tired. _Yes!_

Snarling with debauched happiness, I jumped up a few feet and tackled him violently. He yelled as I landed on him, both of us rolling over the ground roughly. We battled with fists, feet, and claws, both of us trying to be in the lead of the fight.

I ended up on top of his squirming frame, pinning each of his arms and legs with my own. I kept my shattered middle limb resting on his furry chest.

He fidgeted and bleated with fright, making useless attempts to escape me. His fathomless eyes were focused on my single, red eye with paralyzed angst, clenching his teeth and virtually hyper-ventilating.

Now down to business... How was I going to possess him?

_Allow me... _said a voice inside my head.

It happened as if by magic: my body began to dissolve into purple smoke, flecked with spots of yellow and red. I didn't know what it was, but let it happen, seeing as I had heard the Emperor's voice speak to me. My transformation crept up the claws and to the rest of my body, crawling its way towards the tips of my antennae. When it finished, I was fully and totally, a gaseous formation that hovered above the Luminoth boy, still petrified upon the ground and ghost white.

I then proceeded to dive into his chest without a second thought, entering his body smoothly.

Immediately, he began to wail and writhe. I searched within him for his Center, where all life energy was based upon. That was where I would take over.

The boy was fighting back, trying to shove me away from his Center desperately. _Get away! _his voice split my concentration, and an invisible force was holding me back.

_You have no say in the matter, child! _I spat back, still looking. It had to be around here somewhere...

_Augh! Leave me!_

_I refuse! You are being overshadowed by me, no dissents! _

His body was twisting and aching as he dragged himself across the ground and into the glow with dimming sight. We were in a familiar room.

I had located his Center, shining brightly and ready for my dark clasp. He would soon surrender to me-

_Wait, what are you doing?_I flustered, seeing through his eyes him pulling us over towards the Energy Controller, which was now merely a reach away.

If he so much as touched that device, I would be completely destroyed.

I suddenly became slack, the Luminoth regaining temporary control over his body. He used this opportunity to haul his numbing anatomy closer and closer to the Controller. He extended his arm towards it.

I reclaimed my right. I had had enough. _NO! _

I curled myself around his Center, squeezing it tightly so no power would or ever leak from it. The boy's eyes rolled into the back of his head as his body went limp. He fell to the ground, and also fell silent within his own body.

Gasping at what I had just done, I lay before the Controller. My head was swimming, my body was warm, my chest felt heavy, and my free hand was squeezed intensely on something rectangular.

I lifted the sketchbook to my bleary eyes, arms quivering madly. On the page, was a detailed drawing of a Warrior Ing.

But, more specifically...

Me.


	6. Struggle

**Well here's a new chapter. It's kinda short, compared to the previous one, but still, it's a new chapter, right? Anyhoo, hope you like it!**

I remained on the ground, catching my breath and growing numb. My new body was much smaller, and everything around was towering. I was about a fraction my original stature, younger, and a whole different species. This would be interesting... in a really odd way...

I rolled onto my back, grunting and blinking against the brightness of the sun. I was relieved that it didn't burn me, but I could still feel some prickling over my skin. Perhaps that was just an aftereffect of recently becoming a Luminoth. I decided not to bother with it, seeing as I needed to teach myself how to walk on two legs.

The sudden surge of pain throughout my chest made me gasp, and I clenched my eyes shut and gripped a fistful of fur. As I lay there, jaw locked while I sweated, a realization came into my mind. That Luminoth boy had known who I was.

I forced myself to open my eyes and glance at the sketch of the Warrior Ing. It was all there, perfectly captured with precise movements of the graphite. Where had this kid seen me? I was absolutely sure I had never approached him before... I ran through all of my memories. I hadn't ever attacked children, only full grown male Luminoth. How had this happened?

I studied the sketch more closely. There was crosshatching, shading, gentle and harsh lines, and different tones of black. Nothing abnormal about an amazingly drawn piece of art. Then I noticed the signature near the topmost antennae. Written in heavy ink, it read _K-Nar._

K-Nar... I was _positive_ that I knew that name. But from where?

Getting frustrated with myself, I grabbed the writing utensil the boy had been using, and flipped to a blank page of the book. There, I scrawled in the Ing's written language _K-Nar, _and circled it several times while digging the lead into the paper. Then I folded a corner of the parchment, sighing and clapping the notepad shut. Maybe I'd remember when I had heard that annoyingly familiar name later. But for now, I needed to leave this beautifully dangerous Temple.

I had extreme difficulty sitting up. I was in utter pain as I did several times, all attempts ending badly with me gulping in air on the ground. I felt like an out-of-water Blogg. I was praying that the Emperor wasn't seeing this pitiful sight. How embarrassing, to see Tague writhing on the floor while trying to even so much as _sit up._ I was very loyal to my master, and was often scolded as prideful too. _This is pathetic..._ I thought to myself in disgust.

Then something happened that I hadn't expected.

My skin began to darken. I watched in strange horror as my flesh changed from golden brown to midnight black in mere seconds. I felt atrocious agony abruptly, and arched my back and began to scream. As I squirmed, cold spread across my limbs, creeping over solemnly, yet quickly. It started small, but grew immensely and before I knew it, I was completely covered in what felt like ice. I still thrashed, opening my eyes wide and howling worse as red stepped into my clear, full color vision. It felt like my eyes were bleeding.

I pressed my chilled palms onto my face, screeching and twisting in suffering. This was terrible! Something wet seeped its way from my lids, dripping onto my hands and down my wrists and cheeks. _This isn't normal... At least I think it isn't... _The liquid continued to spill.

Then the wretched sensation stopped as quickly as it came. Confused, I lifted my hands away from me, looking around the Great Temple. My sight was normal again, and the coldness that had swept my body was faltering as the warmth my blood brought pulsed through my veins. The pain wasn't existing within me, and I was steadying my ragged breathing and wetting my dry throat.

I finally sat up and took a close look at my body, now pitch black and dotted with red spots on the thighs. Crimson lines were streaked around my hands, elbows, forearms, shoulders, abdomen, and inner thighs. My collarbone was also riddled with red stripes. My chest was covered in deep silver fur, and I fidgeted as something in my stomach churned.

"Well that was odd..." I muttered aloud, afterward gasping and covering my mouth. My voice had nearly risen three octaves. "Oh no..." I buried my face into my palm, digging my fingers into my forehead. "How old is this kid? Not old enough to have reached puberty yet..." I grumbled.

I doubled over myself, hitting my knees with my shoulders and exhaling heavily. Yet more pain stabbed at my insides, and I gripped a hand over my stomach. I suddenly didn't feel too well.

The sound of rushing footsteps echoed throughout the Energy Controller room. I opened my eyes blearily to see a much taller Luminoth running towards me. He slowed his pace to a halt, but didn't notice me directly. "K-Sch! What happened? I heard you yell-"

The man cut off as he gaped at me. I was breathing heavily, and watched him with pure malicious hate. I had a flash of ripping his head off, drinking his blood, and feeding his remains to the other hungry Ing accompany the vicious malevolency that was clouding my thoughts. He dropped an inking tool and a clipboard he was holding and dashed to my side.

"Is-is that you?" he panicked, his sapphire eyes wide and worried. "What... your skin..." The Luminoth traced his fingers over my arm, giving me a stray stare when I cringed away from his touch. "Are you all right, son? What did you do to become this... ebony?"

I stared back at him. I didn't know what to say. Words of total rage and anger were threatening to escape my mouth. Instead of blurting out how much I despised the Luminoth, I shook my head.

"You do not know?" he bewildered, examining my head. "Did you hurt yourself? I told you to be careful around the controller!" he glanced past me and to the contraption that separated the light three ways. He pursed his lips. "Well it seems you did not do any damage to the device..." The man returned to inspecting me. "Were you burned?"

I shook my head once more, biting my tongue till it bled. His blue eyes were darting around my blackened skin in twisted wonder, and he was muttering Luminoth words to himself that I couldn't understand at all. I grabbed my abdomen as it did another sick roll.

"Are you ill, K-Sch?" he asked, looking me straight in the eye. "We could take you back for the day. Your mother could um... see what ails you," he said in awkwardness as his grip around my wrist tightened.

I nodded, thinking about that the Emperor had said. In order to find and rescue P'tuk, I must first search where he was most likely to end up: a Luminoth civilization. I hoped I would find him there. Maybe the others, too... If not, I would resume my hunt and move onto the next place I saw fit.

"All right, son. Can you stand?" he asked as he got to his full, towering height. I gulped at his tallness, and attempted to get to my own feet. Perhaps I should have ran through walking with two legs...

Oh well. No time like the present, I suppose.

I wobbled on my thin ankles as I summoned all the little strength I possessed within my new body. This was harder than it had seemed with the Luminoth who called me his 'son.' The man held both my hands firmly, and I internally punched myself. He lifted me to my feet as steadily as possible, though I still teetering in every direction because of how weak-kneed I was. Once miraculously standing, I clenched his palms for dear life, shaking and sweating helplessly.

My legs collapsed under me as I bent over and wretched. I felt like vomiting, and was close to it, but neither I nor my body had eaten recently, and nothing came out. I gasped and collected myself as the Luminoth kept me from falling by a strong hand on my heaving chest. "Are you okay, K-Sch?"

"Yeah... I think I'm fine..." I said in an undertone, my voice hoarse and as pitchy as ever. I staggered to gain stability in my feet, but failed miserably. "What's..." I murmured, just as I looked up at the Luminoth with fuzzing sight, leaning limply forward and passing out in his arms.


End file.
